Heating system

ABSTRACT

A heating system includes: a heat source machine which heats a heat medium; heating terminals which performs heating using heat of the heat medium; circulation components of the heat medium; a circulation circuit which is configured by connecting the heat source machine, the heating terminals, and the circulation components; and a bypass passage which is arranged in the circulation circuit to bypass the heat source machine. The heat medium heated by the heat source machine and the heat medium of the bypass passage are mixed and circulated. The circulation circuit includes distribution and mixing parts which have a first distribution part for distributing the heat medium heated by the heat source machine, a second distribution part for distributing the heat medium flowing through the bypass passage, and mixing parts for mixing the heat mediums distributed by the first and second distribution parts and corresponding to each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Japan Application No. 2019-011896, filed on Jan. 28, 2019. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a heating system which includes a heat source machine for heating a heat medium, and a circulation circuit in which the heat medium is circulated between heating terminals which perform heating using heat of the heat medium.

Related Art

Conventionally, as described in patent literature 1 for example, a heating system is known which includes a heat source machine that heats a heat medium, and a hot-water supply heating device which circulates the heat medium between heating terminals to perform heating and supplies hot water using heat of the heat medium. This heating system heats the heat medium by one heat source machine, and thus heat mediums having the same temperature are distributed and supplied to each heating terminal when a plurality of heating terminals is included. Therefore, for example, it is difficult to mix a heating terminal which requires a high-temperature heat medium like a hot air heater and a heating terminal which requires a low-temperature heat medium like a floor heating device.

On the other hand, in order to supply heat mediums having different temperatures, for example, as described in patent literature 2, a heating system is known which can simultaneously supply, by including a plurality of heat source machines, heat mediums with required temperatures to a heating terminal which requires a high-temperature heat medium and a heating terminal which requires a low-temperature heat medium.

LITERATURE OF RELATED ART Patent Literature

-   [Paten literature 1] Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 49-48746 -   [Paten literature 2] Japanese Patent No. 6009797

As for the heating system as described in patent literature 2, the heat mediums are heated to different temperatures by the plurality of heat source machines and supplied to the heating terminals, and thus distribution channels of the heat mediums are complicated. However, although connecting a plurality of pipes forming the complicated distribution channels at a construction site is mitigated to some extent by a branch header which connects the plurality of pipes together, the connection is not easy. In addition, there is also a problem that a construction cost of the heating system increases due to the plurality of heat source machines.

The disclosure provides a heating system which can adjust a heat medium heated by one heat source machine to required temperatures of a plurality of heating terminals and supply the heat medium to each heating terminal.

SUMMARY

In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a heating system includes: a heat source machine which heats a heat medium; a plurality of heating terminals which performs heating using heat of the heat medium; circulation components of the heat medium; a circulation circuit which is configured by connecting the heat source machine, the plurality of heating terminals; and the circulation components; and a bypass passage which is arranged in the circulation circuit to bypass the heat source machine; wherein the heat medium heated by the heat source machine and a heat medium of the bypass passage are mixed and circulated, wherein the circulation circuit includes distribution and mixing parts which have a first distribution part for distributing the heat medium heated by the heat source machine, a second distribution part for distributing the heat medium flowing through the bypass passage, and mixing parts for mixing the heat mediums which are distributed by the first and second distribution parts and correspond to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a circulation circuit of a heat medium of a heating system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a header member corresponding to a connection passage portion of the circulation circuit in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the header member in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IV-IV of the header member in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the header member in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line VI-VI of the header member in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the disclosure is described below based on an example.

Example

First, a circulation circuit of a heat medium in a heating system is described. In order to facilitate the description, an example of a heating system having two heating terminals is described, but the type and the number of the heating terminals are appropriately set according to a location to be heated.

As shown in FIG. 1, a heating system 1 includes: one heat source machine 2 which heats a heat medium; a plurality of heating terminals 3 a, 3 b which performs heating using heat of the heat medium; pumps 4 a, 4 b which serve as circulation components of the heat medium; and a circulation circuit 5 which connects the heat source machine 2, the plurality of heating terminals 3 a, 3 b, and the pumps 4 a, 4 b. Moreover, the heat source machine 2 is a hot-water supply heating device which has a water-supply function of heating clean water introduced as shown by an arrow CW and supplying hot water as shown by an arrow HW, or may be a heat source machine dedicated to heating. Moreover, water is used as the heat medium.

The circulation circuit 5 includes a bypass passage 6 which is arranged to bypass the heat source machine 2, and is branched into a heating passage 5 a which has the heating terminal 3 a and the pump 4 a and a heating passage 5 b which has the heating terminal 3 b and the pump 4 b. The heating passages 5 a, 5 b share most of a connection passage portion 5 c which includes the bypass passage 6 and is connected to the heat source machine 2 in order to share the heat source machine 2.

In the heating passage 5 a, the pump 4 a is driven and the heat medium which is heated by the heat source machine 2 and the heat medium flowing through the bypass passage 6 are mixed and supplied to the heating terminal 3 a, and the heat medium used for heating at the heating terminal 3 a is sent to the heat source machine 2 and the bypass passage 6. Similarly, in the heating passage 5 b, the pump 4 b is driven and the heat medium which is heated by the heat source machine 2 and the heat medium flowing through the bypass passage 6 are mixed and supplied to the heating terminal 3 b, and the heat medium used for heating at the heating terminal 3 b is sent to the heat source machine 2 and the bypass passage 6.

The circulation circuit 5 includes, in the connection passage portion 5 c, a first distribution part 7 which distributes, to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, the high-temperature heat medium which is heated by the heat source machine 2, and a second distribution part 8 which distributes, to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, the low-temperature heat medium which flows through the bypass passage 6 and dissipates heat at the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b. Besides, the connection passage portion 5 c has mixing parts 9 a, 9 b which mix the heat mediums distributed by the first distribution part 7 and the second distribution part 8 and corresponding to each other. Here, mixing the heat mediums corresponding to each other refers to mixing one part of the low-temperature heat medium distribute by the second distribution part 8 with one part of the high-temperature heat medium distributed by the first distribution part 7, and mixing the other part of the low-temperature heat medium distribute by the second distribution part 8 with the other part of the high-temperature heat medium distributed by the first distribution part 7.

By the first distribution part 7 and the second distribution part 8, the high-temperature heat medium which is heated by the heat source machine 2 and the heat medium of the bypass passage 6 which is used for heating and decreases in temperature are distributed respectively, and the distributed heat mediums with different temperatures are respectively mixed by the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b to generate a first intermediate-temperature heat medium and a second intermediate-temperature heat medium. The first distribution part 7, the second distribution part 8 and the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b are collectively referred to as distribution and mixing parts.

The heating terminal 3 a is, for example, a hot air heater which requires a high-temperature heat medium, and the heating terminal 3 b is, for example, a floor heating device which requires a heat medium with a temperature lower than that of the heating terminal 3 a. Since the temperatures of the heat mediums required in the heating terminal 3 a and the heating terminal 3 b are different, the heating passage 5 a and the heating passage 5 b are divided in order to circulate the heat mediums corresponding to the temperatures. Although illustration is omitted, in the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, members such as expansion tanks for absorbing volume expansion of the heat mediums, valves for opening and closing the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, and the like are arranged.

Next, a header member 11 equivalent to the connection passage portion 5 c is described. As shown in FIG. 2-FIG. 6, the connection passage portion 5 c of the circulation circuit 5 which is shared by the heating passages 5 a, 5 b is configured by, for example, the header member 11 which is formed by connecting a plurality of copper tubes or synthetic resin tubes. The header member 11 includes: a heat source machine forward passage portion 12 and a heat source machine return passage portion 13 which are connected to the heat source machine 2; a circulation return passage portion 14 which is connected to the heat source machine forward passage portion 12; a circulation forward passage portion 15 which is connected to the heat source machine return passage portion 13; and a bypass passage portion 16 equivalent to the bypass passage 6 which connects the circulation return passage portion 14 to the circulation forward passage portion 15. The heat source machine forward passage portion 12 includes a valve 12 a for opening and closing the passage of the heat source machine forward passage portion 12 and a purge port 12 b for maintenance, and the heat source machine return passage portion 13 includes a valve 13 a for opening and closing the passage of the heat source machine return passage portion 13 and a purge port 13 b.

The circulation return passage portion 14 includes connection portions 14 a, 14 b for respective connection to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, and the heat mediums with different temperatures which dissipate heat at the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b and decrease in temperature when flowing through the heating passages 5 a, 5 b are mixed within the circulation return passage portion 14. The heat mediums whose temperatures become substantially uniform due to the mixing are supplied to the heat source machine forward passage portion 12 and the bypass passage portion 16. In addition, the circulation return passage portion 14 includes a purge port 14 c.

The circulation forward passage portion 15 includes connection portions 15 a, 15 b for respective connection to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, and includes valves 15 c, 15 d for opening and closing passages of the circulation forward passage portion 15 at the connection portions 15 a, 15 b. In the circulation forward passage portion 15, the first distribution part 7, the second distribution part 8 and the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b which are the distribution and mixing parts are installed.

The circulation forward passage portion 15 is branched into two passages from a connection portion with the heat source machine return passage portion 13 to the connection portions 15 a, 15 b connected to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, and includes a partition wall 15 e which partitions the inside of the circulation forward passage portion 15 into two passages. In addition, the circulation forward passage portion 15 includes a purge port 15 f. If the circulation forward passage portion 15 is, for example, a copper tube, the partition wall 15 e is formed in a manner that a copper plate inserted into the circulation forward passage portion 15 is fixed by brazing or the like, and if the circulation forward passage portion 15 is a synthetic resin tube, the partition wall 15 e is integrally formed inside the tube by, for example, injection molding.

At the connection portion between the heat source machine return passage portion 13 and the circulation forward passage portion 15, an opening 15 g is formed so that the circulation forward passage portion 15 which is branched by the partition wall 15 e respectively communicates with the heat source machine return passage portion 13. The opening 15 g is divided by the partition wall 15 e in order to differentiate opening areas respectively communicating with the branched circulation forward passage portion 15.

For example, the opening area at a side connected to the connection portion 15 a which is connected to the heating passage 5 a at a high-temperature side is made larger than the opening area at a side connected to the connection portion 15 b which is connected to the heating passage 5 b at a low-temperature side, and the heat medium heated by the heat source machine 2 can be supplied more to the high-temperature side. The connection portion between the heat source machine return passage portion 13 and the circulation forward passage portion 15 which is configured in a manner of differentiating the opening areas of the opening 15 g by the partition wall 15 e in this way is equivalent to the first distribution part 7 which distributes the heat medium heated by the heat source machine 2 to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b.

The bypass passage portion 16 is connected respectively to the circulation forward passage portion 15 which is branched by the partition wall 15 e. The partition wall 15 e unevenly divides a passage cross-sectional area of the circulation forward passage portion 15, and the low-temperature heat medium flowing through the bypass passage portion 16 is distributed to the branched circulation forward passage portion 15. A connection portion between the circulation forward passage portion 15 and the bypass passage portion 16 which is configured in a manner that the passage cross-sectional area of the circulation forward passage portion 15 is divided unevenly by the partition wall 15 e in this way is equivalent to the second distribution part 8 which distributes the heat medium passing through the bypass passage portion 16 to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b.

In addition, the high-temperature heat medium which is distributed and introduced from the heat source machine return passage portion 13 and the low-temperature heat medium which is distributed and introduced from the bypass passage portion 16 are mixed when flowing through each passage of the branched circulation forward passage portion 15. The branched circulation forward passage portions 15 are equivalent to the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b which mix the heat mediums distributed by the first distribution part 7 and the second distribution part 8 and correspond to each other. Moreover, since the connection portion between the heat source machine return passage portion 13 and the circulation forward passage portion 15 is close to the connection portion between the circulation forward passage portion 15 and the bypass passage portion 16, there is a risk that mixing of the heat mediums from one side to the other side of the branched circulation forward passage portion 15 occurs due to turbulent flow or the like generated near the connection portions, and the partition wall 15 e may be extended into the bypass passage portion 16 in order to prevent the risk.

In the header member 11, the high-temperature heat medium which is supplied from the heat source machine return passage portion 13 and is heated by the heat source machine 2 is distributed by the first distribution part 7, and the low-temperature heat medium which is supplied from the bypass passage portion 16 and used for heating is distributed by the second distribution part 8. The high-temperature heat medium and the corresponding low-temperature heat medium distributed by the first distribution part 7 and the second distribution part 8 are mixed by the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b, and for example, the first intermediate-temperature heat medium at the high-temperature side is generated by the mixing part 9 a, and the second intermediate-temperature heat medium at the low-temperature side is generated by the mixing part 9 b.

The generated first and second intermediate-temperatures are determined by an opening area ratio and a passage cross-sectional area ratio which are determined by the partition wall 15 e, flow rates of the heat mediums of the heating passages 5 a, 5 b, the temperature of the heat medium of the bypass passage portion 16 and the temperature of the heat medium of the heat source machine return passage portion 13, and the like. Therefore, in the heating system 1 including the header member 11, the temperatures of the heat mediums supplied to the heating passages 5 a, 5 b can be adjusted by adjusting flow rates of the pumps 4 a, 4 b or a heating target temperature of the heat source machine 2.

Next, actions and effects of the heating system 1 of the disclosure are described. In the heating system 1, the high-temperature heat medium heated by the heat source machine 2 and the low-temperature heat medium in the bypass passage 6 are mixed and supplied to the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b, and the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b perform heating using the heat of the supplied heat mediums. At this time, the heat mediums which are distributed by the first distribution part 7 and the second distribution part 8 and correspond to each other are mixed by the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b, and thus the mixed heat medium can be supplied to the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b respectively, and the heat mediums adjusted to the required temperatures of respective heating terminals can be supplied to each of the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b.

In addition, the heat source machine 2 and the heating passages 5 a, 5 b are connected by the header member 11 which has the first distribution part 7, the second distribution part 8 and the mixing parts 9 a, 9 b, and thereby the heating system 1 which supplies the mixed heat mediums to the heating terminals 3 a, 3 b respectively can be configured easily.

Since the first distribution part 7 is configured to differentiate the opening areas of the opening 15 g of the circulation forward passage portion 15 communicating with the heat source machine return passage portion 13, the heat medium heated by the heat source machine 2 can be distributed at a predetermined distribution ratio corresponding to the opening areas, and the heat mediums with different temperatures to be supplied to each of the heating terminal 3 a, 3 b can be easily generated.

The first distribution part 7 is configured by the partition wall 15 e which partitions the inside of the circulation forward passage portion 15, and the second distribution part 8 is configured by the partition wall 15 e, and thus the first distribution part 7 and the second distribution part 8 can be configured with simple structures.

The partition wall 15 e of the header member 11 may be arranged to pass through an axis of the circulation forward passage portion 15 so as to evenly divide the passage cross-sectional area of the circulation forward passage portion 15, and to be inclined with respect to the opening 15 g so as to unevenly divide the opening area of the opening 15 g. For example, one partition wall may be added to generate three types of heat mediums with different temperatures. In addition, instead of using the header member 11, a plurality of pipe members or the like may be connected to configure the connection passage portion 5 c, and the first and second distribution parts can be formed by differentiating inner diameters of these pipes. Additionally, those skilled in the art can implement the disclosure in forms in which various modifications are added to the above example without departing from the gist of the disclosure, and the disclosure includes these modification forms.

According to the above configuration, when the heat medium which is heated by the heat source machine is mixed with the heat medium of the bypass passage and supplied to the plurality of heating terminals, the heat mediums which are distributed by the first and second distribution parts and correspond to each other are mixed. Mixing the heat mediums which correspond to each other refers to mixing one part of the heat medium distributed by the second distribution part with one part of the heat medium distributed by the first distribution part, and mixing the other part of the heat medium distributed by the second distribution part with the other part of the heat medium distribute by the first distribution part. Accordingly, the mixed heat mediums can be supplied to each of the plurality of heating terminals, and thus heat mediums which are adjusted to required temperatures of respective heating terminals can be supplied to each of the heating terminals.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, a part of the circulation circuit is configured by a header member which includes a heat source machine forward passage portion and a heat source machine return passage portion which are connected to the heat source machine, a circulation return passage portion which is connected to the heat source machine forward passage portion, a circulation forward passage portion which is connected to the heat source machine return passage portion, and the bypass passage which connects the circulation return passage portion to the circulation forward passage portion, and wherein the distribution and mixing parts are installed in the circulation forward passage portion.

According to the above configuration, the heat source machine and the plurality of heating terminals are connected by the header member installed with the distribution and mixing parts, and thereby the heating system which supplies the mixed heat mediums to each of the plurality of heating terminals can be easily configured.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first distribution part is configured to differentiating opening areas of an opening of the circulation forward passage portion communicating with the heat source machine return passage portion.

According to the above configuration, the heat medium which is heated by the heat source machine can be distributed at a predetermined distribution ratio corresponding to the opening areas, and thus the heat mediums with different temperatures for supplying to each heating terminal can be easily generated.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first distribution part is configured by a partition wall which partitions the inside of the circulation forward passage portion, and the second distribution part is configured by the partition wall.

According to the above configuration, the first and second distribution parts can be configured with simple structures.

In the heating system provided in one or more embodiments of the disclosure, the heat medium which is heated by one heat source machine can be adjusted to the required temperatures of the plurality of heating terminals and supplied to each heating terminal. Therefore, there is no need for a plurality of heat source machines, and thus the heating system provided in one or more embodiments of the disclosure is not a heating system with complicated distribution channels of heat mediums, and a construction cost of the heating system can be suppressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heating system, comprising: a heat source machine which heats a heat medium; a plurality of heating terminals which performs a heating using a heat of the heat medium; circulation components of the heat medium; a circulation circuit which is configured by connecting the heat source machine, the plurality of heating terminals and the circulation components; and a bypass passage which is arranged in the circulation circuit to bypass the heat source machine; wherein the heat medium heated by the heat source machine and the heat medium of the bypass passage are mixed and circulated, wherein the circulation circuit comprises distribution and mixing parts which have a first distribution part for distributing the heat medium heated by the heat source machine, a second distribution part for distributing the heat medium flowing through the bypass passage, and mixing parts for mixing the heat mediums which are distributed by the first distribution part and the second distribution part and correspond to each other.
 2. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein a part of the circulation circuit is configured by a header member, the header member comprises a heat source machine forward passage portion and a heat source machine return passage portion which are connected to the heat source machine, a circulation return passage portion which is connected to the heat source machine forward passage portion, a circulation forward passage portion which is connected to the heat source machine return passage portion, and the bypass passage which connects the circulation return passage portion to the circulation forward passage portion, and wherein the distribution and mixing parts are installed in the circulation forward passage portion.
 3. The heating system according to claim 2, wherein the first distribution part is configured to differentiate opening areas of an opening of the circulation forward passage portion communicating with the heat source machine return passage portion.
 4. The heating system according to claim 3, wherein the first distribution part is configured by a partition wall which partitions an inside of the circulation forward passage portion, and the second distribution part is configured by the partition wall. 